HOUSTON — Rodeo fans say they’re being taken advantage of by Lyft and Uber drivers trying to cash in on surge prices.
They say some drivers wait for hours as they pass up rides, making the process to get home a nightmare.
After most concerts during rodeo season, you’ll see countless people staring at their phones walking for blocks because this is what they now have to do to get a ride.
Earlier in the day, many of them paid what they consider a reasonable fare, but coming back is a different story.
It starts across the street near NRG Park, where ride share drivers are supposed to pick you up. The “green lot” as it’s called shows up on both apps as the designated pick up/drop off location.
We watched as drivers pulled in from 7 p.m. and then waited for hours until the Brooks and Dunn concert had finished around 10 p.m.
Problem is, these drivers were not appearing on either of the ride share apps. Once access for the green lot closed, Holly Williams says the drivers inside became far more selective.
“They’re just sitting here waiting for people to get a ride and they’re not going to pick up the riders until there’s a surge,” Williams said.
Williams walked from one car to another in the green lot asking drivers if they were waiting on the surge prices and she says several drivers acknowledged that’s exactly what they were doing.
For those who don’t know, surge pricing happens to meet growing demand. The same $12 ride earlier, has been known to reach well over $100 on fares from the green lot.
On this night however, the surcharge never came. The drivers however, still waited.
Which meant if you wanted a ride, you tracked down a Lyft or Uber from blocks away.
We reached out to Uber and Lyft, but did not get a reply. As for the rodeo representatives, they say they are working on a solution.
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